“The future NBA star was born on September 12, 1980, in Shanghai, the largest city in China.”
“At birth, he weighed ten pounds and was the only child of parents who were unusually tall themselves.”
“His father, Yao Zhiyuan, stands six-foot, ten inches tall, and was a basketball player for a local Shanghai team.”
“Yao's mother, Fang Fengdi, was six-foot, two inches in height and had played on the Chinese national team in the early 1970s.”
“China had historically struggled to feed its population of 1.3 billion, city dwellers sometimes had to use ration coupons to buy food.”
“For Yao's family, it seemed there was never enough food to satisfy the young boy's appetite, and his mother would visit the stalls of the city's food market near closing time to buy extra items cheaply.”
“By the time he was in the third grade, he was five-foot, seven inches tall.”
“Local sports officials took notice, and he was chosen to take part in a local sports school in Shanghai.”
“At first Yao was not overly interested in basketball or in any other sport. Instead, he liked books about military history, and could recite details of ancient battles from China's past.”
“When he reached the sixth grade he was taller than his mother, and three years later had reached his father's impressive height.”
“That same year, when he was in the ninth grade, he was signed to a contract with a Shanghai youth team.”
“At the age of seventeen, he became the Shanghai Sharks' star player during its first full season.”
“The Sharks belonged to the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), a government-controlled national league.”
“Though soccer was still China's most popular spectator sport, basketball had grown increasingly popular during the 1990s.”
“Soon there were more participants in basketball programs than there was playing soccer in China, and NBA games broadcast on state-run television attracted large audiences.”
“Yao was also a member of the Chinese national team, which competes in international events like the Olympics.”
“Yao Ming was one of several new foreign players signed to American teams in the 2002 NBA draft.”
“Though he was the first to become a number one draft pick, Yao joined a roster of players that included Luis Scola from Argentina, Bostjan Nachbar from Slovenia, and Brazilian star Maybyner "Nene" Hilario.”
“Of the fifty-seven players drafted, sixteen were from overseas teams, a league record.”
“Some thirty-four nations are represented in the NBA player roster.”
“One of the first foreign stars was Manute Bol, a seven-foot, seven-inch Sudanese player in the 1980s.”
“The increasing number of athletes from Europe, Africa, and now even Asia comes thanks to interest in the sport in faraway places.”
“Interest in the NBA teams grew with the help of satellite television, which broadcast NBA games, and when the league began taking top players on overseas exhibition tours.”
“In countries outside of the United States, the college athletic tradition is virtually nonexistent. Sports facilities exist solely for training national athletes for the Olympics.”
“Professional sports are dominated by soccer, with intense national rivalries, players who become household names, and sold-out stadiums in every city.”
Yao Ming
“The future NBA star was born on September 12, 1980, in Shanghai, the largest city in China.”
“At birth, he weighed ten pounds and was the only child of parents who were unusually tall themselves.”
“His father, Yao Zhiyuan, stands six-foot, ten inches tall, and was a basketball player for a local Shanghai team.”
“Yao's mother, Fang Fengdi, was six-foot, two inches in height and had played on the Chinese national team in the early 1970s.”
“China had historically struggled to feed its population of 1.3 billion, city dwellers sometimes had to use ration coupons to buy food.”
“For Yao's family, it seemed there was never enough food to satisfy the young boy's appetite, and his mother would visit the stalls of the city's food market near closing time to buy extra items cheaply.”
“By the time he was in the third grade, he was five-foot, seven inches tall.”
“Local sports officials took notice, and he was chosen to take part in a local sports school in Shanghai.”
“At first Yao was not overly interested in basketball or in any other sport. Instead, he liked books about military history, and could recite details of ancient battles from China's past.”
“When he reached the sixth grade he was taller than his mother, and three years later had reached his father's impressive height.”
“That same year, when he was in the ninth grade, he was signed to a contract with a Shanghai youth team.”
“At the age of seventeen, he became the Shanghai Sharks' star player during its first full season.”
“The Sharks belonged to the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), a government-controlled national league.”
“Though soccer was still China's most popular spectator sport, basketball had grown increasingly popular during the 1990s.”
“Soon there were more participants in basketball programs than there was playing soccer in China, and NBA games broadcast on state-run television attracted large audiences.”
“Yao was also a member of the Chinese national team, which competes in international events like the Olympics.”
“Yao Ming was one of several new foreign players signed to American teams in the 2002 NBA draft.”
“Though he was the first to become a number one draft pick, Yao joined a roster of players that included Luis Scola from Argentina, Bostjan Nachbar from Slovenia, and Brazilian star Maybyner "Nene" Hilario.”
“Of the fifty-seven players drafted, sixteen were from overseas teams, a league record.”
“Some thirty-four nations are represented in the NBA player roster.”
“One of the first foreign stars was Manute Bol, a seven-foot, seven-inch Sudanese player in the 1980s.”
“The increasing number of athletes from Europe, Africa, and now even Asia comes thanks to interest in the sport in faraway places.”
“Interest in the NBA teams grew with the help of satellite television, which broadcast NBA games, and when the league began taking top players on overseas exhibition tours.”
“In countries outside of the United States, the college athletic tradition is virtually nonexistent. Sports facilities exist solely for training national athletes for the Olympics.”
“Professional sports are dominated by soccer, with intense national rivalries, players who become household names, and sold-out stadiums in every city.”